The great Arizona monsoon season! What is it, and how your commercial roof may be vulnerable to damage? 

What is a monsoon?

Arizona gets most of our rain during the monsoon season. A monsoon is caused when winds shift during seasonal changes. The sudden changes in the winds and the temperature variances between the land and the wind can bring sudden rain storms with heavy wind. Often bringing along with the rain and wind, lots of desert dirt and debris from local vegetation.

The myth that it never rains in Arizona is a myth. The problem here in Arizona is that we get much rain suddenly and often without much warning.

When is the monsoon season in Arizona?

Our most active time of the year for monsoon activity is between June and September. We can get some activity in December as well. Remember that we can’t expect nature to follow a schedule or care about our calendars. As the seasons change, the state temperature goes up or down. That is when you can expect more monsoon activity.

What damage can a monsoon do to your commercial roof

The biggest problem with monsoons is that they can suddenly drop large amounts of water and debris on your commercial roof. The debris can block your roof’s proper drainage and keep the water from draining from the roof. As you may imagine, when water is not drained from the roof. There can be damage to the roof membrane sitting under the water.

The building might burn down. I know, shocking. And exactly why would I say that? One to shock you into considering roof care and maintenance for your commercial building. Because it has happened before, and it can happen again. The weight of the water on a Safeway roof caused a roof collapse, which resulted in a fire. The entire building burned down, and that neighborhood lost its only local grocery store.

Damage can be from a small leak to a complete roof collapse. And small leaks can eventually lead to mold or structural damage. That, in turn, leads to a roof collapse. Roof drainage is nothing to play around with. And that is why I wanted to shock you with that story about the Safeway burning down.

How to protect your commercial roof from monsoon damage?

Putting a good plan roof care and maintenance program into place is a great way to start. Keeping the roof clean of debris, inspecting regularly, and ensuring the drains are always free and clear. After having a professional check on the roof after a storm event, it will be your first line of defense. Or other workers have been on the roof. It should be sufficient to keep your commercial roof in good condition.

Ready to get started?